Everything Changes
by keb1991
Summary: Preseries. John and Dean receive an unwelcome wakeup call when Sam is injured on a hunt. [Sam is 9, Dean is 13] Sammy angst! COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Everything Changes

**Author: **keb1991

**Rating: **T for Teen (I always wanted to say that…you know, like a video game…yeah…)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Supernatural, the CW does. Darn them! (all this means that I'm not making any money, just having good ol' fun)

**Summary: **Pre-series. John and Dean receive an unwelcome wake-up call when Sam is injured on a hunt. Sam is 9, Dean is 13 Sammy angst!

**AN: **I'm baaaaack! Thanks to Carikube for reviewing my story, Bullies, and inspiring me to write again. You should all go thank her by reading her story, Entity, it's a good one. I don't have a beta or anything, so if anyone wants to volunteer…

So here's my new story, enjoy!

**Everything Changes **

**Chapter One**

John sat in comfortable silence at the desk in his study, the computer on in front of him, papers covering the rest of the small surface. He had been scouring through his resources and contacts, trying to find a new hunt that he could take both his boys on. Since school had ended nearly a week earlier, he was ardent to find a way to distract his children.

Sensing a change in the atmosphere, John took his gaze off the computer screen and listened.

A second later he heard his youngest yelling from downstairs.

"Dad!"

"Stop being such a tattletale!" was his other boy's angered voice a second later.

"Daddy!"

"What?" John yelled in reply from the upstairs room.

"Dean's –" but the answer was cut short after a small scuffling noise was heard.

Sighing, John abandoned his study, descending the stairs of the small two-storey. As he reached the bottom step he heard noises coming from the living room to his left.

Upon entering the room he was immediately met with the sight of his two boys scrapping on the hard wooden floor. Dean, his eldest, was straddling his youngest, Sam, effectively pinning the young boy down.

"Dean," John started, trying to get the older boy's attention.

Dean immediately stood after hearing his father's voice, taking a step back away from his little brother, who it seemed had decided to stay on the floor.

"What's going on here?" John continued knowing he had both boys' attention. When he received no answer from either boy he asked again, directing the question towards his eldest. "Dean, tell me what's going on."

Dean had a horrified look on his face, alternating his gaze from his father, who was standing in the doorway, to his brother, who still hadn't moved from the floor. "Well…umm…you see…the thing is…" And that's when Sam decided to join the conversation.

"Dean called me a baby," Sam whined, pulling himself into a sitting position, unknowingly proving his brother right from his tone of voice. "He said it's all my fault that he hasn't been able to go on a hunt with you 'cause he has to stay here and baby-sit me."

John stood there looking at his boys. Dean was still standing a foot away from Sam, with a look on his face that said _I-am-in-so-much-trouble_, and Sam was sitting on the floor Indian style, a slight pout taking residence on his face. "Dean, you can stop being mean to your brother because I'm planning on taking you _both_ on a hunt soon." That sure made his youngest perk up.

"Really!" Sam exclaimed, jumping up from the floor and running over to wrap his little arms around his father's waist. "My first hunt! Did you hear that Dean? I'm going on my first hunt!"

"Yeah Sammy, I heard," Dean replied softly. He had yet to make a move and appeared to be in deep thought. "Dad, are you sure Sammy's ready to go on a hunt?" he questioned. Dean did not like the idea of his little brother going on a hunt at his young age. Yeah, Dean himself had started hunting when he was eight, but that was beside the point. Sam was so young and…_innocent_ that Dean didn't know if he would be able to handle a hunt.

"Yeah Dean, I think he's ready," John replied, shifting Sam so that he was standing next to him, but kept an arm around the little boy's shoulders. "You boys should go get cleaned up, I'm going to go make dinner," then adding as an afterthought, "and stay out of trouble."

"Yes sir," Dean replied before moving for the first time since John had first entered the room. As Dean left, Sam turned and ran after him, following him up the stairs and into their shared bedroom.

The house was meant to be a three-bedroom, but the boys, mainly Sammy, had insisted on sharing a room so that the third could be used as John's study. Dean appeared to not care one way or the other, but John knew that he was glad to be able to keep a close eye on his little brother. Dean had been protective of Sam ever since the boys' mother had died eight years earlier, but it seemed since the older boy turned thirteen he took his big brother role much more serious. Dean felt that being a teenager made him more responsible, and since Sam was his responsibility…

John went into the kitchen, filtering through the freezer trying to find something to make for dinner, deciding on chicken fingers with some macaroni and cheese on the side. Thinking back on his decision, he wondered if letting Sam come on the next planned hunt was such a good idea…

**xxxxxx**

"Oh man Dean, isn't this so exciting?" Sam practically shrieked with joy, bouncing all over the boys' small room as if on a sugar rush. "I'm going on my first hunt! I can't believe this! Can you believe it Dean? I can't believe it! I'm so –!"

"Sam!" Dean had to yell to be heard over his brother's antics, "calm down. Remind me never to give you sugar."

"Aw but Dean –"

"Sam." That simple word, and the tone behind it, was all it took to get Sam to stop all the monkey business. "Thank you," Dean sighed in relief. "Now go wash your hands, Dad will probably have dinner ready soon," he ordered.

As Sam scurried off to the upstairs bathroom, Dean stood in meditative silence. How could dad even consider taking Sam on a hunt? He is, for the lack of a better word, the baby in the family. Dean did not want any harm to come to his little brother.

He remembered his first hunt five years ago. It had been a routine haunting, simply salt and burn of the bones and it'd all be over. Apparently the ghost hadn't gotten the memo.

As his father was digging up the ghost, Jacob Derse's, grave, Dean had been assigned to get everything ready and keep a close eye out. Oh, he had been keeping a close eye out, all up until he was forcibly picked up by an invisible being and slammed into the nearest tree. He had received a broken arm and a big bump on the head from that one.

Sam came back into the room a minute after he had left, inadvertently pulling Dean out of his memories.

Sam jumped on his bed, laying on his back, with a goofy grin plastered on his face.

Moments later their father's voice could be heard calling the boys down for dinner. As Dean moved down the steps, Sam trailing a step behind him, he silently hoped his father knew what he was doing…

**xxxxxx**

Should I even bother continuing? Like it? Hate it? Dare I say, Love it? Either way…

Please **review** and let me know your thoughts!


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Everything Changes

**Author:** keb1991

**Rating:** T for Teen (I always wanted to say that…you know, like a video game…yeah…)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Supernatural, the CW does. Darn them! (all this means that I'm not making any money, just having good ol' fun)

**Summary:** Pre-series. John and Dean receive an unwelcome wake-up call when Sam is injured on a hunt. Sam is 9, Dean is 13 Sammy angst!

**AN: **Well, y'all convinced me to continue this story from the massive response I got from the first chapter. Definitely wasn't what I expected, so thank you all for reviewing. I have made up one or two location names, so sorry 'bout that. I hope that I can make this story the best it can be. Not much action yet, but trust me it'll be coming up soon! This one's a bit longer, thank that to my stupid internet for cutting out on me, forcing me to keep writing. Enjoy! (still no beta...so any mistakes are all mine)

**Everything Changes**

**Chapter Two**

After dinner that night John left the boys alone to relax and watch television, with a firm warning to stay out of trouble. He went back to his study to do some more research.

Earlier that day he had received a phone call from a friend of his telling him about a strange string of disappearances stirring up in Thomas County, Georgia, which was only one county over from their current residency in Brooks.

It appeared that four people under the age of twenty-five, three females and one male, had gone missing in the area over the past two days. All four were last seen in or around Redding Park.

The first person to go missing, Lauryn Manners, was a junior on her school's track team. Her parents told the cops that she had been headed to the park to go on her daily two mile jog. When she still hadn't come home four hours later, they called the police.

The second, third, and fourth persons all went missing the day after Lauryn. Two girls, Allison Johnson and Beth Rumsey, and one boy, Tucker Michaels, were all between the ages of twenty-two and twenty-five. They had been out at a local bar, drinking, with another friend, John Nudders. John told the police that at around midnight his friends had decided they wanted to go for a stroll in the nearby park. They wanted him to go with them, but since John had class in the morning he turned them down and went home. That morning when his friends never showed up after class to meet up with him, and he couldn't reach them from their homes, he called the police to report them missing.

There were so many possibilities hovering over this case that John was hesitant to take his boys with him. Without knowing the cause behind the disappearances, the risk factor was raised to a burning red.

They would have to research the case more when they got to Thomas County. If it turned out to be more than the boys could handle, John would perform the hunt on his own, leaving Sam and Dean at the motel for the duration.

Now that he had reached his verdict, all that was left was telling the boys they would be leaving early in the morning.

**xxxxxx**

Sam and Dean were lounging in the living room, watching their favorite television program, Scooby Doo. However, it seemed that only Sam was truly focused on the screen.

Dean still couldn't fully wrap his hands around the idea of his little brother going on a hunt. Things could appear to be under control one moment, and then the next it could get exceedingly dangerous.

It's not that Dean didn't trust Sam's abilities when it came to hunting, it was his internal fear that something would happen and it would be his own fault. But if their father believed it was the right thing to do…

"Hey Dean?" Sam asked from his position on the armchair.

"Yeah?" Dean, who was lying down on the couch, replied.

"Do you think I'm ready to go hunting?" The question seemed innocent enough, but Dean knew there was an underlying reason hidden there somewhere.

"Of course you are. Are you forgetting who's been training you? With all my big brother knowledge I have bestowed upon your munchkin brain, you'll do just fine. And I'll be there to back you up, so nothing bad'll happen," Dean said encouragingly, trying to keep the hidden fear from creeping out of him through his tone of voice. Somewhere deep down behind his emotional walls he kept up to hide his feelings from his brother, he was afraid.

And Dean Winchester did not get scared easily.

No, Dean Winchester, even at the ripe age of thirteen, was not fearful of many things. But there was one thing, one person, that he would be worried about for the rest of his life.

Sam.

**xxxxxx**

"Hey boys I need to talk to you for a minute," John said upon entering the living room later that night, close to his boys' bedtime.

Dean immediately switched off the television set and, along with Sam, turned his attention towards their father.

"Yeah Dad?" the boy asked curiously. From the look on the elder's face Dean knew something important was up.

"Well, I think I've got a job for us to do," John started, gauging his boys reactions before continuing, "it's not too far from here, maybe a forty minutes drive to the next county over. I got a call earlier today and it seems that four people have gone missing. The police are baffled; leaving me to believe it could be something supernatural. So…if you both are up to it we'll be leaving early tomorrow morning."

"I'm up to it!" Sam said, pushing himself up from the armchair.

"Dean?" John turned to his eldest.

"Yeah Dad, let's do it," Dean said, a small smile forming on his face.

"All right, then. Off to bed you two, I'll be waking you up really early tomorrow so we can get ready and leave. Make sure you get a lot of sleep, we have a long next few days."

**xxxxxx**

The next morning John kept true to his promise of waking the boys up early.

Really early.

"Dad?" Dean asked groggily. Glancing over at the nightstand in between his and Sam's bed he was met with the flashing red numbers: 5:03. "Oh man," he groaned loudly.

"Get up, get ready. You have until 5:30 to have your stuff packed, and don't forget to eat breakfast," John ordered, "That means you, Sam." And with that John left the boys alone.

Sam stirred awake, looking sleepily around the room. When all he saw was his brother in the bed next to him, he decided to lie back down. _Just five more minutes…_

"Sam! Get your scrawny butt out of that bed now!" came their father's voice from downstairs.

"Man! How does he know?" Sam asked incredulously, "It's like he can read our minds."

"He's Dad," was all Dean offered as clarification for the younger boy. "Now get up and start getting your stuff together."

**xxxxxx**

Fifteen minutes later both boys were down in the kitchen. Dean was pouring him and Sam each a bowl of cereal for breakfast when their father walked in.

"Good job, guys. Now hurry up and eat that, we'll leave in ten minutes," John announced, grabbing the boys' bags and walking out the front door to put them in the trunk.

"Sam do you want some juice?"

No answer.

Sam, who had yet to fully wake up, was sitting down at the kitchen table, staring lazily off into space.

Dean walked up to his brother and waved his hand in front of the younger boy's face. "Anyone in there?" he joked, moving his hand to smack Sam on the back of the head, causing the boy to jerk.

"I asked you a question," Dean said, moving around the table to sit across from his brother. "Do you want any juice?"

"What? Uh…no thanks Dean, I think I'll just settle with the cereal," was Sam's distracted reply.

"Hey, are you okay?" Dean asked worriedly, searching his brother's face, trying to find some sort of clue as to what his problem could be. _Poor kid's probably freaking out._

"Yeah…so what do you think we're going to be hunting?" the little boy wondered, putting on a false smile for his brother's sake.

"I don't know, but I'm sure it's nothing too dangerous if Dad's letting us come along," Dean explained, trying to reassure his brother.

A moment later their father came back into the kitchen and told them to head out to the car before running back up the stairs, apparently having forgotten something.

Dean pulled himself up from the table, grabbing his and Sam's dirty bowls. He rinsed them off in the sink and placed them in the dishwasher.

"You good Sam?" Dean questioned of the boy as he walked into the living room to grab their coats.

"Yeah, let's go," Sam responded, with what appeared to be a genuine smile spreading on his face, as Dean walked back into the kitchen. Getting up from the kitchen table, Sam grabbed his jacket from Dean and ran out the still open front door to the car.

Right then John came back down the stairs with a bag slung over his should. "Let's go Dean. You sure you and Sam packed everything?"

"Yes sir," Dean answered before shrugging on his own jacket and walking out the door to join his brother by the car.

John looked around their small home briefly before crossing the threshold and locking the front door behind him.

He silently prayed that this hunt would go without fault…

**TBC…**

**xxxxxx**

So, did ya like it? Don't think just because I'm updating you don't have to review (wink,wink). **Review** and tell me your thoughts, concerns, whatever.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Everything Changes

**Author:** keb1991

**Rating:** T for Teen (I always wanted to say that…you know, like a video game…yeah…)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Supernatural, the CW does. Darn them! (all this means that I'm not making any money, just having good ol' fun)

**Summary:** Pre-series. John and Dean receive an unwelcome wake-up call when Sam is injured on a hunt. Sam is 9, Dean is 13 Sammy angst!

**AN:** Thank you all for the reviews, I really do enjoy reading everyone's opinions/comments, and thanks Carikube for reading this over for me. Let me tell you, this chapter gave me some trouble, so I hope y'all like it as much as the first two (and when I have trouble writing I usually resort to the 'chick-flick' type brotherly moments!). So here's the next part!

**Everything Changes**

**Chapter Three**

Thirty minutes, and a very agitated John Winchester, later the old Chevy pulled into an empty parking spot in front of Larry's Motel in Thomas County – the only motel, to be exact.

"Okay boys, stay in the car while I go get us a room," John commanded of his children before exiting the car and walking to the motel's front office.

The motel's check-in office was like all the others John had seen in his lifetime. Random pictures hanging on the walls, but pretty bare overall. The only other additions to the room were a small desk near the back and, of course, the man behind the desk who was eyeing John as he approached.

"Can I help you?" the man, who turned out to be Larry, asked.

"Yes, I'd like a two-bed room for the next two days please," John replied while reaching into his back pocket to retrieve his wallet and, most importantly, his credit card.

"That'll be sixty-nine dollars. Will you be paying it all now, or later?" Larry inquired as he looked under the desk for the room key.

"Now's good," John answered as he extracted his fake credit card and handed it to the man.

"Okay," Larry started, swiping the card through the machine before handing it back along with the room key. "You're in room number twelve, and if there's anything you need there will always be someone in here."

"Thank you," John said before leaving the office and climbing back into the driver's side of his car to park it in front of room twelve.

**xxxxxx**

Ten minutes later all three Winchesters were in the motel room, Sam and Dean on one bed watching television, and John sitting at the small table looking through his papers.

John stood from the table, keys in hand, saying, "All right, I'm going to go ask around town, see what I can dig up on our missing people."

"Can we come?" Dean questioned with a look of happy anticipation on his young face.

"Sorry buddy, it would be easier for me to get information without you two tagging along. Stay in the motel room; don't let anyone in, you know the drill. I'll be back in a few hours," John insisted before leaving the room and his boys alone.

**xxxxxx**

"So, what do you want to do?" Dean wondered. Sam and Dean were still sitting on the bed, only now it seemed that neither of them was paying any attention to the cartoons on the television screen since their father's departure.

Sam was lying next to Dean on the queen-sized bed and, as he was earlier, appeared to be in his own little world.

"Hey Sam, what's up?" Dean questioned, tentatively hitting the younger boy on the shoulder.

"Nothing," was the barely audible whisper that came from Sam's lips.

"Don't give me that, Sammy. I'm your big brother, I think I would know when there was something up with you," Dean argued.

"It's just …" Sam started before halting his words and looking over his shoulder at the wall, the opposite direction of Dean.

"It's just …?" Dean repeated. "What is it, Sammy?"

"I'm scared," was his weak reply, turning big, sorrowful eyes to his brother's sympathetic ones.

"Oh, it's okay to be scared, Sammy," Dead reassured, putting his arm around the younger boy's shoulders and pulling him closer. "It's normal. I was scared on my first hunt, too."

"You were?" was Sam's shocked voice. In Sam's eyes Dean was invincible, never afraid of anything.

"You bet I was, so don't worry about being scared, okay? You can always talk to me about anything, you know that right?" Dean comforted, feeling his brother nod into his shoulder. "All right, I think you should try to get some sleep until Dad gets back."

Sam didn't need telling to twice, snuggling up deeper into his brother's side, falling asleep almost instantly.

**xxxxxx**

Four hours later John walked cautiously into the motel room, noticing his boys asleep on their bed. But, no matter how quiet he was, nothing could get by his eldest son, whose eyes shot open almost immediately upon him entering the room.

Dean turned to his brother and slowly shook the younger boy awake.

"Hey Sam, get up, Dad's back," he whispered, still shaking him until the boy was fully awake again.

Sam sluggishly sat up in the bed, stretching his sore muscles and taking a deep yawn, both boys watching as their father placed his belongings on the table and walked around to sit heavily on his own bed.

"So did you find out anything," Dean spoke up first, studying his father as the older man sighed, loudly.

"Yeah, I'm almost completely sure that we're dealing with the spirit of a man who died in that park twenty years ago back in '72, Howard Townsen. It seems that this wasn't the first time people have gone missing in huge clumps. Five years ago five people went missing in the same area, never to be seen again. It appears that every five years five people go missing and never come back."

"So, this ghost has a thing for the number five?" Sam wondered aloud.

"That's what it looks like," John answered, a little more to himself then Sam.

"Do you know where he's buried?" Dean asked, excited to be able to go on a hunt soon.

"Not yet, but I'm going to go check out the county's public records after we go eat some breakfast. So are you two ready? There's a diner down the street that looked pretty nice," John informed his boys.

"Sure," Sam answered, jumping up from the bed to pull on his shoes, Dean mimicking his motions.

"Ready? Let's go."

**xxxxxx**

"So did you find where the guy's buried?" Dean asked as he saw John approaching. After eating breakfast John had driven them all over to the public records office, and that was more than two hours ago.

"I did," John started, looking down at his watch, "it's almost two. We're going to go check out the grave now so we don't come across any unsuspected interferences. Then we'll head back to the motel and get ready."

"All right," Dean agreed.

"Hey Sammy, what's up?" John wondered. Sam was being unusually quiet lately, and that just wasn't normal. The Sam that John knew would be talking a mile a minute about how excited he was; bouncing all over the place like when he had found out he was going on a hunt.

"Nothing," Sam replied.

"All right then, let's get a move on," John announced, dismissing Sam's quietness as being his nerves finally catching up with him.

For the second time that day, as they wordlessly drove to the graveyard, John wished for his boys' protection tonight.

**TBC…**

**xxxxxx**

Phew, I hope that chapter was okay. **Review** and let me know if it was any good, 'kay? (grin)


	4. Chapter 4

Refer to chapter one for all the mumbo jumbo stuff. And thanks much for all the lovely reviews. I meant to get this out earlier, but the site was being mean again…so, finally, enjoy!

**Everything Changes**

**Chapter Four**

The door swung open on squeaky hinges, echoing throughout the small motel room as the elder walked in.

After checking out the graveyard and successfully locating Townsen's headstone, John had driven the boys back to the motel to prepare. Four hours following their arrival at the motel John had left his boys alone to finish getting ready, going out to grab some grub.

"Hey boys, how's everything coming along?" John asked, tossing the bag of food to his eldest after digging out his meal and placing it onto the table.

Sam and Dean were sitting on different beds, same as they had been when John had left twenty minutes earlier.

"We're done. All three shotguns are checked and loaded with rock salt, and multiple books of waterproof matches, two canisters of lighter fluid, and a can of salt are packed in the duffle," Dean replied, placing the duffle bag onto the floor and pulling Sam's burger from the food bag. A mischievous grin appeared on his young face before he hurled it at the preoccupied young boy's head, earning him a scowl from his target.

"Good, good," John said thoughtfully, knowing in a half-hour it would be pitch black outside, only the full moon to provide a soft glow of light for the hunters.

The family ate in silence, all feeling the effects of normal pre-hunt jitters.

As John observed the sun finally disappear behind the trees, the final rays descending over the horizon, he announced it was time to leave. He ushered his boys out to the car, grabbing the duffle off the floor on his way. Once the boys were settled, John walked around to the back and popped the trunk, propping up the lockbox to reveal his weapons.

He hesitantly looked around the trunk before grabbing his trusty handgun from its compartment, along with extra bullets; however, he knew it would be useless in their current situation. Making sure the gun was loaded, he put it in the back of his pants and the bullets in his front pocket before closing the trunk with a thud.

Joining his boys in the car at last, John slid the key into the ignition, grinning slightly when the old car purred to life.

**xxxxxx**

John eased the car to the side of the road, across from the graveyard, and cut it off, sitting in a silent reflection. After a few moments his brain finally decided to kick-start, throwing the man into action.

"All right boys, this is it. Stay close to me, keep your shotguns ready at all times, and watch out for each other," John ordered, directing the last part mostly towards Dean, both boys nodding.

"Dean, grab the duffle. I'll get the shovel out of the trunk; wait for me to come around to your side before you two get out," John said, exiting the car and retrieving the shovel before going to the passenger side to let his boys out. "Let's go."

**xxxxxx**

As soon as they reached Howard Townsen's grave, John immediately went to work. He pushed the shovel deep into the earth with his boot clad foot before cranking the wood back and removing a clump of grass and dirt. _Push, lift, repeat._

…

After watching their father labor over the grave for a minute, Dean set the duffel onto the soft grass. As he bent down to unzip the material he noted Sam move closer to him from the shadows. Pulling the salt, matches, and lighter fluid out, Dean handed Sam the matches and lighter fluid, keeping a hold of the salt.

"Here, sit down next to the bag. I'm gonna put a circle of salt around us while Dad digs the grave, okay?"

"Okay," Sam answered, dropping down next to the duffle and watching Dean draw a large circle around him.

"So…how you doing?" Dean asked as he sat down beside his brother.

"Good."

"Good? Good, that's good," Dean replied distractedly, eyes wondering to the surrounding area; studying, searching. He had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach that there was something up with this case. Some things just didn't add up. He didn't understand how people were disappearing. Where did they go to? How come no one had ever found any bodies? It felt wrong that they had just up and vanished into thin air.

Absentmindedly placing an arm around Sam's shoulder and pulling him closer, Dean sat in contemplation.

…

John went to plow the shovel down into the dirt again, but this time he was met with a heavy _thunk_ of resistance.

"Finally," he sighed. "I've got it boys!"

Evening out the dirt, John reached down to unlock the casket and pull the heavy lid open, revealing Townsen's decaying bones.

Scrunching up his face in disgust, John called for Dean to come over and pour the salt onto the bones.

As Dean got up from his spot on the ground, John heard a rustling within the wooded area yards to the left of him.

And that's when he saw the yellow eyes.

He barely had time to react before the creature burst from the trees and hurtled its massive body towards the three hunters.

Thinking fast, John pulled the gun from the back of his jeans, taking three shots at the creature, which all hit the chest of the being, before it could reach him or, more importantly, his boys.

But that didn't stop it. Regular rounds didn't work on what John realized it was.

A werewolf.

_Shit._

"Boys, get to the car now!"

All three took off into a sprint, John dragging his boys with him, the werewolf gaining ground fast.

John suddenly felt the absence of one of his boy's hands from his own, stopping to look back over his shoulder. What he saw made his heart stop.

"Sammy!"

**TBC…**

**xxxxxx**

Wow, that's the first big cliffy I've ever written! Yay me! (evilgrin)

**Review** and let me now your thoughts, feelings, concerns, rants, whatever. What'cha thinkin' people?


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks to all of those who reviewed and I am so sorry for keeping everyone hanging for so long. And be warned, I might have to do weekly updates since I start back school Tuesday (sep. fifth), but it will be at least one chapter a week. So, I hope you like it, enjoy!

**Everything Changes**

**Chapter Five**

_Previously:_

_Thinking fast, John pulled the gun from the back of his jeans, taking three shots at the creature, which all hit the chest of the being, before it could reach him or, more importantly, his boys._

_But that didn't stop it. Regular rounds didn't work on what John realized it was._

_A werewolf._

_Shit._

"_Boys, get to the car now!"_

_All three took off into a sprint, John dragging his boys with him, the werewolf gaining ground fast._

_John suddenly felt the absence of one of his boy's hands from his own, stopping to look back over his shoulder. What he saw made his heart stop._

**xxxxxx**

The young boy ran with all his might, blood rushing through his ears, heart racing in his chest. He had to get back to the car. He had to make sure that his small family would be safe.

Suddenly, Sam felt his foot catch on something in the grass, causing the young boy to come crashing down on the hard ground face first. And then he heard his father's yell.

"Sammy!"

**xxxxxx**

John saw his baby boy, lying flat on his stomach, appearing to have tripped over a headstone covered in overgrowth, the matches and lighter fluid which he had been assigned to hold lay next to him, the werewolf on him in seconds.

The wolf pounced on the young hunter, forcing the boy onto his back before digging its claws deep within Sam's stomach.

When John heard his little boy scream in pain the only thought he had was to get him safe.

A moment later, John saw his eldest rush by him, running straight towards the werewolf.

…

Dean tried to pull the creature off of his brother, not caring about his own safety, but no matter how hard he tried to avert the wolf's attention to himself, nothing worked. Kicking, punching, nothing would deter it. It was as if it was only interested in Sam, continuing to slash the young boy, who had fallen unconscious.

_Oh God._

The only upside of the whole situation was that it didn't seem to be interested in biting Sam, just tearing him into shreds.

…

John forced himself to act, knowing he had to get to the trunk, get to the gun that had silver bullets.

The elder hunter took off into a sprint, relieved he wasn't too far away already. Reaching the car, he ran around to the trunk, opening up the weapons case.

He grabbed the gun from its compartment, not bothering to shut anything before racing back into the graveyard.

…

As Dean continued his futile attempts to get the wolf away from Sam, he glanced around for his father, seeing him at the trunk of the car.

Sam was still unconscious, his blood pooling around him, staining the grass dark red.

It felt as if it had been an eternity since Sam had first fallen, but in reality it had been mere seconds. However, a lot had happened, and Dean worried that if they didn't kill the wolf soon, Sam could die.

…

John ran until he could clearly see the werewolf, which hadn't stopped its assault on Sam. Taking aim, he shot one bullet at the wolf's shoulder. This seemed to get its attention, causing it to rise away from Sam, giving John a clear shot at its heart.

Pulling back the trigger, John shot the rest of the bullets into the beast's heart, the werewolf falling on its side, away from Sam, dead. John rushed to his youngest son's side, pulling the boy's head into his lap. He felt Dean approach, kneeling beside him.

John took in his son's injuries. Sam had eight deep puncture wounds running across his stomach, all bleeding heavily. He also had four shallower gashes reaching from his left shoulder to the middle of his chest, and four long slashes across his left cheek which, besides looking ugly, weren't as bad as his stomach.

…

Dean looked up away from Sam, staring into his father's eyes as he searched over Sam, seeing something in them that he hadn't seen in a long time.

Tears.

…

John turned his attention to the body of the werewolf next to his son, which had reverted back to its human form. Deciding he didn't have time to properly dispose of it, he pulled it into the woods, covering it.

Returning to Sam's side, John reached down, pulling him into his arms, happy for once that he was so small for his age.

No matter how much John hated taking his sons to the hospital, he knew he had to. Sam had already lost too much blood, was too pale…

John hurried back to the car with Dean fast on his heels. When they reached the car, John carefully placed Sam in the backseat, stripping off his over-shirt, giving Dean instructions to place it over Sam's stomach wounds and apply pressure before getting in the driver's seat. John was intent on breaking every traffic law imaginable as long as it got him to the hospital soon.

…

**xxxxxx**

**Archbold Memorial Hospital, One Hour Later**

John sat in an uncomfortable, plastic chair in the hospital's waiting room, slumped forward with his head in his hands, defeated.

John had arrived at the local hospital after five minutes of speeding, rushing through the entrance yelling for help.

Doctors were upon him immediately, putting Sam on a stretcher after asking John for his name, carting him off behind a set of double doors.

A nurse came up to him, asking him what had happened, and John had to think of a proper lie fast. John had told her their real names, telling her that he had been going on a walk with his sons who wanted to check out the graveyard at night, and his youngest was attacked by a wild animal. The woman appeared to buy his story, nodding before she told him to go to the front desk to fill out some forms.

And now, an hour later, he sat, waiting. Dean had yet to utter a single word, but John could see in the boy's eyes that he was beating himself up. John understood that Dean felt responsible for what had happened tonight, for Sam getting hurt. Dean didn't have to say anything for John to know what he was thinking.

And John didn't want his son thinking it anymore.

"Dean?" John spoke softly as he sat up in the chair to look at his eldest, who sat beside him in an equally uncomfortable chair. "We need to talk, son."

And as Dean's eyes met his, John's heart broke. How could he have let this happen? This wasn't Dean's fault, it was his. He knew Dean didn't want Sam to come, but he had let him anyways. He didn't think this would happen, not to Sam. Yeah, Sam got hurt just like every kid, but nothing this serious before. The reality behind this whole situation was an eye-opener for John.

"Dean…" John started cautiously, trying to make his words come out right. "This whole thing," he said, motioning his arms to the surrounding area, "it's not your fault. Sam's not hurt because of you. You did nothing wrong."

John watched as Dean looked away at his words. "I couldn't protect him." A barely audible whisper, but John heard it nonetheless.

John knew it was his fault that Dean felt like this; he had forced him to grow up. Every time John left his boys alone, on their own, Dean was forced to take care of things, to be an adult. Only now, seeing his boy for what he truly was, a child, did John realize his mistake.

John wrapped his arm around Dean's shoulders, pulling the young boy closer. "You're not to blame, you hear me?" he asked.

John felt Dean bury his head against John's chest, Dean's emotional barriers finally crumbling as tears flowed freely from the young boy's eyes as he nodded.

"Everything's going to be alright."

The two of them sat like that, Dean's tears subsided not long after starting, when John noticed a man in hospital scrubs walk into the waiting room.

"The family of Samuel Winchester?"

**TBC…**

**xxxxxx**

So, do you think Sam's going to be okay? Review, it's the only way I know what you're thinking, I can't read minds no matter how hard I try.


	6. Chapter 6

**_AN: _**Next chapter, finally. Sorry for the wait, school ya' know? Also, sorry if John and Dean seem a little OOC, but seriously…who wouldn't be crying? Plus I'm a sap… Thanks for all of the reviews, they make me smile. This chapter is unbetaed, so all mistakes…anything unclear…all my fault. So, chapter six!

"_**This isn't good or bad. It's just the way of things. Nothing stays the same."**_

**Chapter Six**

_Previously:_

_John wrapped his arm around Dean's shoulders, pulling the young boy closer. "You're not to blame, you hear me?" he asked._

_John felt Dean bury his head against John's chest, Dean's emotional barriers finally crumbling as tears flowed freely from the young boy's eyes as he nodded._

"_Everything's going to be alright."_

_The two of them sat like that, Dean's tears subsided not long after starting, when John noticed a man in hospital scrubs walk into the waiting room._

"_The family of Samuel Winchester?"_

**xxxxxx**

John stood up as the doctor walked into the waiting room, feeling Dean scrambling out of his own seat mere milliseconds after his him.

"I'm his father," John told the doctor, who had walked over to stand near the two elder Winchesters.

"Dr. Swartz, I'm Samuel's doctor," the man introduced himself.

Dr. Swartz appeared to be a man of his late thirties, but years of the job seemed to have taken a toll on the good doctor. He had a genuine look to him; the kind of guy who wouldn't be telling him any bullshit – which John was grateful for.

"Samuel came to us in pretty bad shape, suffering for a pretty massive amount of blood loss due to the hemorrhaging from the deep wounds on his stomach, which we were able to stop during surgery."

"Is he going to be okay?" John asked with a hint of impatience, unconsciously holding his breathe, waiting for an answer.

"He should be, yes," John released his hold, chest heaving considerably, a slight smile gracing his lips in relief. "He also had a minor fracture to his left wrist which we have already had set and plastered into a cast that he'll have to wear for a couple of weeks. After some rest and relaxation we're hoping he should be able to bounce back to one hundred percent. We're moving him into recovery now; someone will be down to tell you when you can go in to see him. He's going to be pretty out of it for a while from the surgery, so don't worry when he doesn't wake up right away. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work."

After shaking hands and a slight nod from the doctor, Swartz departed, leaving John and Dean alone in the room to wait.

…

Dean stood slightly behind his father as the doctor relayed all the information about his little brother. The boy's hazel eyes, still red and puffy from his breakdown earlier, watched the exchange taking place in front of him.

"Is he going to be okay?" Dean heard his father ask, but the words that reached Dean sounded distorted, muffled from the blood rushing through his ears and his rapid heartbeat echoing loudly in his head.

This was one of those times Dean couldn't help but be scared shitless.

When the noise in his head subsided long enough for him to actually listen, Dean was able to gather from the doctor that Sam was going to be alright.

'_He should be, yes.' _

And if that wasn't the sweetest sounding statement Dean had ever heard he didn't know what was. Well…maybe a close second to _'You're going to be a big brother, Dean!'_

**xxxxxx**

**Forty Minutes Later, 9:56 p.m.**

John and his eldest son silently walked down the hospital hallway towards the youngest member's hospital room; both too lost in thought to actually speak to the other. They had yet to say a word since the doctor had left, waiting silently until the nurse had come to retrieve them.

John had still yet to believe that everything was going to turn out okay. Sam would be fine. Even after all the shit that had gone wrong tonight. Thinking back on the events that had taken place only hours earlier, John's body couldn't help but give an involuntary shudder from the memories.

"You two can go in," Sam's nurse, a kind-hearted, middle-aged woman named Cindy, told John before walking back to the nurse's station.

John cautiously approached the hospital room door, feeling as if a sudden movement could bring on disaster. Reaching out a hand to the doorknob, he gradually inched the metal to the right, pushing against the wooden door with the other hand as he did, causing the door to swing open.

John took a deep breathe before entering into the room, Dean a step behind him, and closing the door softly.

Sam was lying on the hospital bed in the middle of the room, surrounded by numerous machines. The steady _beep_ of the heart monitor would've bothered John on any other day but today it was welcomed, a constant reminder that Sam was alive, that his heart was still beating.

Sam himself was pale, his white face easily blending in with the white of the hospital sheets and pillowcase. His eyes were closed, sleeping off the drugs, body repairing itself in the forced slumber, chest rising steadily with each intake of air.

…

Dean was the first to move from the doorway, carefully walking towards Sam's bed before stopping a foot away from the edge. He just stood there, watching Sam sleep, a salty tear slipping out of the corner of his right eye. He hurriedly wiped the escaped tear away before his father could see him. Dean had to be strong for Sam now, and that meant no more crying.

As the walls built themselves back around Dean he edged closer to the bed. When he was so close to the bed he could feel himself bump up against the metal frame, he sat down on the edge and leaned over enough to slip his hand under the one which Sam had been resting on his own chest, before Dean grasped it in his. Dean could feel the rise and fall of Sam's chest as he breathed, could feel the _thump_ of his little brother's heart as it beat.

Dean sensed more than saw his father approach the bed from the other side, his attention being only on Sam at the moment. _So small. So pale. _

Dean's eyes flickered up to see his father standing over Sam. He watched as the elder hooked his foot around the leg of a chair in the corner of the small room, sliding it as close to Sam's bed as he could get it before sitting down.

Dean saw his father lean over in his seat and place his hand on top of the same hand Dean was still holding, before sliding it off and taking a hold of Sam's other hand, squishing the small body part between both of his hands.

Dean let his attention shift back to Sam's face. He looked so peaceful, so innocent.

That's when Dean first realized that everything had changed. Sam wasn't innocent, at least not in the way he used to be. He had gone on his first hunt. He had had his first true injury. The first of what Dean knew would be followed by another…and another…

Dean changed his position so that he was lying next to Sam on the hospital bed on his side, facing Sam.

He stayed like that, unmoving, until sleep finally overcame him.

**TBC…**

**xxxxxx**

Sam's okay! Aren't we all happy about that? I hope that was good. Just a couple more chapters after this, don't forget to review, they help my mind work faster –wink wink–


	7. Chapter 7

AN: I'm so sorry for the four+ month wait for this story to be updated. This is the final chapter, so I hope that I was able to wrap everything up nicely. And it's super short. And un-betaed. Again, sorry!

**Chapter 7**

_Previously:_

_Dean let his attention shift back to Sam's face. He looked so peaceful, so innocent._

_That's when Dean first realized that everything had changed. Sam wasn't innocent, at least not in the way he used to be. He had gone on his first hunt. He had had his first true injury. The first of what Dean knew would be followed by another…and another…_

_Dean changed his position so that he was lying next to Sam on the hospital bed on his side, facing Sam._

_He stayed like that, unmoving, until sleep finally overcame him._

**xxxxxx**

Sam could feel the world tilting around him. Nausea and pain overcoming his senses - forcing him out of his blessed oblivion and into the waking world.

He could feel a heavy weight on his right, which turned out to be Dean. Looking around the room, he could see his dad, in what seemed to be a very uncomfortable position, asleep in the chair next to him.

Sam knew he was in the hospital. How he got there, however, escaped him. As he tried to sit up, a pain shot through his stomach, causing him to fall back to the bed with a groan.

Which alerted his big brother asleep in the bed next to him.

…

Dean could feel movement next to him; however, being used to having to share a bed with his little brother, he didn't think much of it. _Wait a second. Sam?_ Dean's eyes snapped open as he remembered, smiling as he saw his brother's eyes open.

"Dean?" a mere whisper.

"Hey little brother, I'm right here," Dean comforted, grabbing his brother's hand in his own. "You're safe."

_You're safe. _

**xxxxxx**

**Three Days Later**

The past week had been tough on the little family. Sam had woken up the day after the – after the accident, no complications to prevent a full recovery. The werewolf had been taken care of by a friend of John's. John couldn't leave his boys, not even to finish a hunt.

John stood in the little hospital room, watching as his eldest son helped his youngest get dressed. It was finally break-out day. They could finally move on from this place.

Too bad they could never forget what had happened there, no matter how much they wished they could. Their world had been turned upside down. Sam had been introduced to the dangerous world of hunting, and life would never be the same.

"We're ready dad," Dean said, breaking John out of his thoughts.

Together they wheeled Sam out of the room, to the car, to what seemed to be a new life.


End file.
